Mobile terminal and method displaying file images at the mobile terminal

Abstract

Disclosed are a mobile terminal and controlling method thereof. The mobile terminal is controllable in response to a pinch-in/out touch gesture. The present invention includes activating a 1 st application file via a specific application, displaying a 1 st file image corresponding to the 1 st application file on a touch screen in a single view state of displaying a single file image on the touchscreen, receiving a pinch-in touch gesture performed on the touchscreen, and switching the single view state to a multi-view state of displaying a plurality of file images in response to the reception of the pinch-in touch gesture. A 2 nd file image corresponding to each of at least one 2 nd application file and the 1 st file image are displayed on the touchscreen in the multi-view state. The 1 st application file and the at least one 2 nd application file are activated by the specific application.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising:
 executing a specific application; 
 displaying a first file image associated with the specific application on a touchscreen of the mobile terminal, the first file image being displayed in a single view state of which a single file image is displayed on the touchscreen; 
 receiving a pinch-in touch gesture input on the first file image via the touchscreen while the first file image is displayed in the single view state, a displayed size of the first file image reduced progressively according to a decreasing distance between touch points on the touchscreen of the pinch-in touch gesture input; 
 displaying at least a second file image associated with the specific application at a same position on the touch screen while the displayed size of the first file image is reduced progressively to a displayed size of the second file image, the displayed size of the second file image being consistent while the pinch-in touch gesture input is received; 
 displaying a plurality of file images in a multi-view state in response to the pinch-in touch gesture input, wherein the plurality of file images comprise the first file image and the second file image that are displayed in a same size, not overlapping one another, wherein all of the plurality of file images are associated with the specific application being executed; 
 displaying a content creation icon in the multi-view state for executing an application to create a new content item, wherein the new content item is associated with the specific application being executed; 
 receiving a first touch input or a second touch input on the second file image in the multi-view state, wherein the first touch input and the second touch input are different types of touch inputs; 
 displaying the second file image in the single view state without progressively increasing the displayed size of the second file image, such that the plurality of file images other than the second file image are no longer displayed, in response to the first touch input; 
 increasing the displayed size of the second file image to a first size in response to the second touch input, wherein the second file image of the first size is smaller than the second file image displayed in the single view state; 
 receiving a pinch-out touch gesture input with respect to the second file image displayed in the first size; 
 further increasing the displayed size of the second file image progressively from the first size to a second size according to an increasing distance between touch points on the touchscreen of the pinch-out touch gesture input, a displayed size of the first file image being consistent while the pinch-out touch gesture input is received, wherein the second file image of the second size is smaller than the second file image displayed in the single view state; and 
 displaying the second file image in the single view state in response to the pinch-out touch gesture input that is received continuously after the displayed size of the second file image has been increased to the second size such that the second file image is displayed in the single view state when the pinch-out touch gesture has been received for more than a threshold time period or when the increasing distance between the touch points is greater than a threshold distance, 
 wherein the threshold time period or the threshold distance is determined by a user or in advance by a manufacturer of the mobile terminal, 
 wherein the first file image corresponds to an image representation of a first application file and the second file image corresponds to an image representation of a second application file, the method further comprising switching from the multi-view state to a text-only list view state in which a first textual representation of the first application file and a second textual representation of the second application file are listed in a text-only file list without the first file image and the second file image when the pinch-in touch gesture input is continued after switching to the multi-view state. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pinch-in touch gesture input comprises touching at least two points on the touchscreen and then dragging from the at least two points such that a distance between the touched at least two points decreases. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first file image is displayed distinguishably from others among the plurality of file images in the multi-view state. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second file image is displayed at a fixed position on the touchscreen while the displayed size of the first file image is reduced progressively; 
 the first file image overlaps the second file image at least momentarily when the displayed size of the first file image is reduced while the pinch-in touch gesture input is received; and 
 the reduced size of the first file image is larger than the displayed size of the second file image when the first file image overlaps the second file image. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying information indicating that the first file image is being executed by the specific application in the single view state; 
 continuously displaying the information after switching from the single view state to the multi-view state until the second file image is selected; and 
 switching to the single view state in response to a user input for selecting the second file image and then displaying information indicating that the second file image is being executed by the specific application in the single view state. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specific application comprises a music application, an Internet application, a word processor application, or an image application. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 each of the first application file and the second application file comprises a music file activated by the music application when the specific application comprises the music application; and 
 the first file image comprises a first album image associated with the first application file and the second file image comprises a second album image associated with the second application file. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 each of the first file image and the second file image includes information indicating whether a corresponding application file has been saved when the specific application comprises the word processor application or the image application. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 ending the specific application when the pinch-in touch gesture input is continued in the multi-view state. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying summary information regarding the first application file and summary information regarding the second application file in the text-only list view state. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing an execution status of the first application file being executed by the specific application when switched to the multi-view state. 
     
     
       12. A mobile terminal comprising:
 a touchscreen; and 
 a controller configured to execute a specific application and cause the touchscreen to:
 display a first file image associated with the specific application in a single view state of which a single file image is displayed; 
 reduce a displayed size of the first file image progressively according to a decreasing distance between touch points on the touchscreen of a pinch-in touch gesture input that is received while the first file image is displayed in the single view state; 
 display at least a second file image associated with the specific application at a same position on the touch screen while the displayed size of the first file image is reduced progressively to a displayed size of the second file image, the displayed size of the second file image being consistent while the pinch-in touch gesture input is received; 
 display a plurality of file images in a multi-view state in response to the pinch-in touch gesture input, wherein the plurality of file images comprise the first file image and the second file image that are displayed in a same size, not overlapping one another, wherein all of the plurality of file images are associated with the specific application being executed; 
 display a content creation icon in the multi-view state for executing an application to create a new content item, wherein the new content item is associated with the specific application being executed; 
 display the second file image in the single view state without progressively increasing the displayed size of the second file image, such that the plurality of file images other than the second file image are no longer displayed, in response to a first touch input received on the second file image in the multi-view state; 
 increase the displayed size of the second file image to a first size in response to a second touch input that is received on the second file image in the multi-view state, wherein the second file image of the first size is smaller than the second file image displayed in the single view state; 
 further increase the displayed size of the second file image progressively from the first size to a second size according to an increasing distance between two touch points on the touchscreen of a pinch-out touch gesture input that is received with respect to the second file image displayed in the first size, a displayed size of the first file image being consistent while the pinch-out touch gesture input is received, wherein the second file image of the second size is smaller than the second file image displayed in the single view state; and 
 display the second file image in the single view state in response to the received pinch-out touch gesture input that is received continuously after the displayed size of the second file image has been increased to the second size such that the second file image is displayed in the single view state when the pinch-out touch gesture has been received for more than a threshold time period or when the increasing distance between the touch points is greater than a threshold distance, 
 
 wherein the threshold time period or the threshold distance is determined by a user or in advance by a manufacturer of the mobile terminal, 
 wherein the first file image corresponds to an image representation of a first application file and the second file image corresponds to an image representation of a second application file, and the controller is further configured to cause the touchscreen to switch from displaying the multi-view state to displaying a text-only list view state in which a first textual representation of the first application file and a second textual representation of the second application file are listed in a text-only file list without the first file image and the second file image when another pinch-in touch gesture input is received after switching to the multi-view state. 
 
     
     
       13. The mobile terminal of  claim 12 , wherein the pinch-in touch gesture input comprises touching at least two points on the touchscreen and then dragging from the at least two points such that a distance between the touched at least two points decreases. 
     
     
       14. The mobile terminal of  claim 12 , wherein the first file image is displayed distinguishably from others among the plurality of file images in the multi-view state. 
     
     
       15. The mobile terminal of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to cause the touchscreen to:
 display information indicating that the first file image is being executed by the specific application in the single view state; 
 continue displaying the information after switching from the single view state to the multi-view state until the second file image is selected; and 
 switch to the single view state in response to a user input for selecting the second file image and then cause the touchscreen to display information indicating that the second file image is being executed by the specific application in the single view state. 
 
     
     
       16. The mobile terminal of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the second file image is displayed at a fixed position on the touchscreen while the displayed size of the first file image is reduced progressively; 
 the first file image overlaps the second file image at least momentarily when the displayed size of the first file image is reduced while the pinch-in touch gesture input is received; and 
 the reduced size of the first file image is larger than the displayed size of the second file image when the first file image overlaps the second file image. 
 
     
     
       17. The mobile terminal of  claim 12 , wherein the specific application comprises a music application, an Internet application, a word processor application, or an image application. 
     
     
       18. The mobile terminal of  claim 17 , wherein:
 each of the first application file and the second application file comprises a music file activated by the music application when the specific application comprises the music application; and 
 the first file image comprises a first album image associated with the first application file and the second file image comprises a second album image associated with the second application file. 
 
     
     
       19. The mobile terminal of  claim 17 , wherein:
 each of the first file image and the second file image includes information indicating whether a corresponding application file has been saved when the specific application comprises the word processor application or the image application. 
 
     
     
       20. The mobile terminal of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to end the specific application when the pinch-in touch gesture input is continued in the multi-view state. 
     
     
       21. The mobile terminal of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to cause the touchscreen to display summary information for the first application file and summary information for the second application file in the text-only list view state. 
     
     
       22. The mobile terminal of  claim 12 , further comprising a memory,
 wherein: 
 the controller is further configured to cause the memory to store an execution status of the first application file being executed by the specific application when switched to the multi-view state. 
 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first file image is displayed with a highlighted or shaded effect. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising switching from the multi-view state to the single view state in which the second file image is displayed in response to a second touch input with respect to the second file image received in the multi-view state. 
     
     
       25. The mobile terminal of  claim 14 , wherein the first file image is displayed with a highlighted or shaded effect. 
     
     
       26. The mobile terminal of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to switch from the multi-view state to the single view state in which the second file image is displayed in response to a second touch input with respect to the second file image received in the multi-view state. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first touch input is applied by one finger; and 
 the second touch input is applied by one finger. 
 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the pinch-out touch gesture input is applied by two fingers; 
 the second touch input is a touch applied to the second file image without a pinching gesture; and 
 the second touch input is not same as the pinch-out touch gesture input. 
 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 displaying a higher hierarchical level view after ending the specific application; 
 continuing to switch to displaying successively higher hierarchical level views when additional pinch-in touch gesture inputs are received; and 
 switching the mobile terminal to a locked state when a final pinch-in touch gesture input is received while a highest hierarchical level view is displayed. 
 
     
     
       30. The mobile terminal of  claim 20 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 cause the touchscreen to display a higher hierarchical level view after ending the specific application; 
 continue to cause the touchscreen to switch to displaying successively higher hierarchical level views when additional pinch-in touch gesture inputs are received; and 
 switch the mobile terminal to a locked state when a final pinch-in touch gesture input is received while a highest hierarchical level view is displayed.